Tracking adhesion factors in Staphylococcus caprae strains responsible for human bone infections following implantation of orthopaedic material

Abstract

Ten Staphylococcus caprae strains isolated from four patients and responsible for bone infections following implantation of orthopaedic material were compared to four 5. caprae strains collected from milk samples of healthy goats. The following characteristics were investigated : SmaI patterns, hybridization patterns with pBA2 (ribotypes), slime production, adhesion to matrix proteins (fibrinogen, fibronectin, collagen) and the staphylococcal adhesion genes (fnbA, clfA, cna, at/€, ica, fbe). None of the characteristics enabled us to distinguish the human strains from the goat strains. Slime was occasionally produced by 5. caprae strains but all of them carried nucleotide sequences hybridizing at low stringency with the following genes: at/€ encoding a 5. epidermidis autolysin binding vitronectin and responsible for the primary adhesion to polystyrene, ica operon involved in the biosynthesis of a S. epidermidis extracellular polysaccharide, and the part of c/fA encoding the serine-aspartate repeated region of a 5. aureus cell-wall fibrinogen-binding protein.

First report of a <i>Staphylococcus caprae</i> isolated from middle ear fluid of an infant with recurrent acute otitis media

“…Although S. caprae association with AOM has not been documented so far, its role as a pathogen was demonstrated and pathogenicity determinants were detected, including the ica operon involved in biofilm formation and a gene encoding a fibronectin-binding autolysin [13]. Interestingly, icaoperon and surface proteins binding fibronectin have been detected in all human and goat S. caprae isolates tested [2,13]. Biofilm and slime production in vitro by some human and goat S. caprae strains, contributing to their virulence and protection against antibiotic access, have also been documented [2].…”

“…One case of mastoiditis and cases of acute otitis externa have also been documented [8,9]. Reported human S. caprae infections have been acquired nosocomially following the administration of antibiotics [2,3]. The presented study reports the first isolation of S.caprae from the middle ear fluid (MEF) of a 12-month-old infant with recurrent, bilateral acute otitis media (AOM).…”

“…Interestingly, icaoperon and surface proteins binding fibronectin have been detected in all human and goat S. caprae isolates tested [2,13]. Biofilm and slime production in vitro by some human and goat S. caprae strains, contributing to their virulence and protection against antibiotic access, have also been documented [2]. Human infections with S. caprae proved to be associated with previous administration of antibiotics and hospitalization [2,14], which revealed their opportunistic nature.…”

“…Biofilm and slime production in vitro by some human and goat S. caprae strains, contributing to their virulence and protection against antibiotic access, have also been documented [2]. Human infections with S. caprae proved to be associated with previous administration of antibiotics and hospitalization [2,14], which revealed their opportunistic nature. Of note, both risk factors were present in the current case.…”

“…It is the predominant species among coagulase-negative staphylococci colonizing the skin covering the udders of healthy goats [2]. Since the time of its first isolation, only infrequent cases of human infections caused by S. caprae have been reported, among them endocarditis, sepsis, urinary tract infections, bone and joint infections [2][3][4][5].…”